Saturday, August 25, 2007

Dubliners by James Joyce

This collection of short stories really didn't impress me. Maybe it's just that it's so old, or maybe I don't really understand Ireland that much. Everything was dull. Lots of descriptions of dreary weather, and talk about dreary weather, and really poor attempts at socializing... pretty standard Victorian stuff.

Maybe I could have appreciated it more had I read it in an English Lit class and had it explained to me, but I somehow doubt it. My advice: steer clear unless your and English major and you like this sort of thing.

6 comments:

Christopher said...

I challenge you: You cannot possibly tell me that you read 'The Dead' and did not come away moved. That is simply one of the most heartbreaking things ever put into words.

Brent will back me up on this.

Christopher said...

Also, point of order: Dubliners is not Victorian because Victoria died in 1901 and Dubliners was published in 1914. Strictly speaking, it is "Georgian," after George V.

Kelly Wilkinson said...

That's what I'm saying. If someone like Christopher had told me all this Georgian vs. Victorian stuff along the way, I probably would have appreciated it more.

As for The Dead, I thought it was more boring than sad to hear about how Gabriel didn't even really know his wife that well at all. And he was a bit pretentious

I did enjoy a story called Counterparts.

Christopher said...

The final section of 'The Dead' is gut-wrenching.

Brent Waggoner said...

The Dead and the story about the two boys just wasting the day make this book worthwhile.

Christopher said...

This book can be read free on the internet at Project Gutenberg. True story.